Applicant has not received any federally sponsored research or development assistance.
Applicant does not have a microfiche appendix.
1. Field of the Invention
Applicant""s invention relates to manufacturing, composition of matter, recycling, and new use fields; particularly to concrete construction components, the method to mold the components, and the use of the components to build structures, to: combat coastal erosion, build jetties, dikes, reefs, foundation stabilizing supports, sound abatement dividers for highways and airports, and other marine and land applications.
2. Description of Related Art
There are many structures built using discarded tires as componentsxe2x80x94some tires are embedded in concrete for various uses as erosion control and for building walls. Most of these uses are inefficient, environmentally disruptive, time consuming to construct, and usually have design flaws and little or no commercial value.
A method and means for using three common concrete construction components: a cylinder, a rectangular block, and a half block. The structures share a common matrix, comprising: two or more whole tires; rebar formed washers formed from rebar rods welded in a spider-like fashion to two different diameter rebar formed rings, wherein the washers are inserted transversely between the tires and at each end of the tire bundle; reinforcement wire is attached to the inner and outer surfaces of the tire bundle, and secured to the washers; reinforcement rods are laterally placed on the inner and outer surfaces of the tire bundle and also secured to the washers. The reinforced tire bundle is placed into a mold after compression, and an appropriate concrete mix is poured or injected and let cure. If additional. strength is needed, the center, usually hollow, can be filled with concrete and additional reinforcement.
These concrete construction components provide the industry with viable alternatives to expensive, time consuming, and pollutant-type tire recycling methods in existence today. These components provide the industry with encased tire matrix components for: noise abatement walls, for the sound absorbing qualities of the encased tires; beach erosion inhibitors; artificial reefs and jetty construction for the non-pollutant, environmentally friendly concrete components; levee construction or reconstruction, flood control structures, for the strength and durability of the components. Further objects and advantages of Applicant""s concrete construction components will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing descriptions.